According to the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the coronavirus SARS –CoV -2 persevered on the ship for a long time. Until 17 days after the departure of the infected people, the surfaces of the cabins still contained RNA of the coronavirus responsible for the epidemic.
Quarantined since the beginning of February 2020, the Diamond Princess cruise ship was for a few weeks one of the main epicenters of the Covid-19 epidemic. Out of 3,711 passengers and crew, 712 people were infected . We should also mention the 7 deaths recorded, representing however less than 1% of the infected population.
On March 26, 2020, the British daily newspaper The Independent reported on research carried out by the American CDC. However, the conclusions evoke the presence of RNA (ribonucleic acid) of the coronavirus in the cabins up to 17 days after the departure of the infected persons. Remember that RNA carries genetic information indicating the presence of a virus. On the other hand, a precise detail is important. RNA does not tell if the virus was still alive during this time.
The CDC also explained that cruise ships are a very favorable environment for the spread of epidemics , moreover in the case of respiratory diseases. This had also been confirmed in previous studies. It should indeed be known that the Diamond Princess served as a special case. Many researchers have studied how this virus behaved in a restricted and well-known environment, contrary to what is currently happening on dry land.
Officials are calling for everyone to postpone any travel on such ships until later. The objective here is to fight against the spread of the coronavirus SARS –CoV –2 . You should know that while the majority of the 270 cruise ships in service since the start of the epidemic have stopped their activity, some continue to sail the seas of the world.
As The Marine Executive explains, the cruise industry suspended operations in mid-March for 30 days . However, the fact is that the ships still circulating are looking for a port. Let us cite, for example, the misadventure of the company Oceania Cruises, one of whose ships was refused entry to the port of Santiago (Chile) and finally returned to Miami (United States) to disembark its passengers.
